2022 Essay Contest

ReImagine Jobs is launching the Your Sustainable Future contest! This contest, open only to Southwest Pennsylvania students in grades 9-12 who are at least 13 years old, invites you to submit a creative entry that speaks to what sustainability means to you and how you envision using your talents, skills, and ambitions to cultivate a vibrant and thriving future for our region! Check out the question and submission criteria below along with a timeline and sample judging rubric. We encourage you to use the wealth of information listed on our website (www.reimaginejobs.org) as a resource. Cash prizes and job shadowing opportunities will be offered for the top three submissions, and the contest will be judged by five professionals working in the region's sustainable economy. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at [email protected].
Question: How do you imagine your future career path creating a more sustainable world?


Submit digital entries by 11:59pm on 5/31/22 via the form below. Non-digital entries should be submitted between 9am and 6pm on 5/31/22 at the Protect PT office (3344 PA-130 suite d, Harrison City, PA 15636). Name and contact info should only appear on the submission form, not on the entry itself. All entries must include a title either on the submission or on the cover page.
In the entry or the accompanying artist statement, the applicant should
- clearly define their understanding of the term "sustainable"
- Identify one of the 9 sectors from www.reimaginejobs.org that your career goals fit into; if your future career does not fit into any of the sectors, identify a new sector that includes that career and explain why that sector is important for the sustainable economy.
- Reference at least two employers or entrepreneurs in your chosen sector who inspire you. You can pull from the list of exhibitors at https://reimaginejobs.org/opportunity/, the job postings listed in the ReImagine Jobs newsletters at https://reimaginejobs.org/newsletters/, the companies and organizations featured in the ReImagine Jobs Spotlight webinar series https://reimaginejobs.org/jobs-spotlight/, or others not featured by ReImagine Jobs.
Acceptable submission mediums and requirements are as follows:
- ESSAY OR CREATIVE PROSE
- Submitted as a PDF
- No more than 1200 words
- POEM OR WRITTEN SONG
- Between 750-1200 words
- Submitted as a PDF
- VIRTUAL GRAPHIC ART (SUCH AS GRAPHIC DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY ETC)
- Must be accompanied by an artist statement (250 words or less) describing the piece and how it meets the criteria
- Submitted as a JPG
- NON-VIRTUAL ART (SUCH AS PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS, SCULPTURES, WOODWORK, METALWORK, ETC)
- Must be accompanied by an artist statement (250 words or less) describing the piece and how it meets the criteria
- See in-person submission details below
- VIDEO OR AUDIO (SUCH AS SHORT FILMS, ANIMATIONS, MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, ORATIONS, ETC)
- Must be accompanied by an artist statement (250 words or less) describing the piece and how it meets the criteria
- Maximum 5 minutes
- Submitted as .MP4 or .MOV
September 2021 Spotlight
Land Reclamation





Wednesday, September 29th, 2021
Featured speakers:
-
John Dawes of Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds
-
Bobby Hughes of Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation
-
Becca Simon of Grounded Strategies
Moderator: Cindy Rogers of The Evergreen Conservancy
Watch to learn about opportunities and careers in land reclamation and conservation in Southwest Pennsylvania.
August 2021 Spotlight
Grid Modernization





Wednesday, August 25th, 2021
Featured speakers:
-
Sara Daugherty of BRITE Energy Innovators
-
Garretson Oester of ReImagine Appalachia
Moderator: Amanda Woodrum of ReImagine Appalachia
Watch to learn about opportunities and careers in grid modernization in Southwest Pennsylvania.
July 2021 Spotlight
Green Chemistry





Wednesday, July 28th, 2021
Featured speakers:
-
Lalit Chordia of Thar Process
-
Roger Berry of Sudoc
Moderator: Hope Barnstead of Patagonia
Watch to learn about opportunities and careers in green chemistry in Southwest Pennsylvania.
June 2021 Spotlight
Recreation, Tourism & Hospitality





Wednesday, June 28th, 2021
Featured speakers:
-
Dustin Drew of DCNR
-
Bryan Perry of the GAP trail Conservancy
-
Jeffery Morris of Roxby Development
-
Stephan Bontrager of Riverlife
Moderator: Bonnie McGill of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Watch to learn about opportunities and careers in recreation, tourism & hospitality in Southwest Pennsylvania.
May 2021 Spotlight
Workforce Development





Wednesday, May 26th, 2021
Featured speakers:
-
Rev. Dr. T. Charles Howell of Mon Valley Initiative
-
Ilyssa Manspeizer of Landforce
-
Jacob Israel Hannah of Coalfield Development
-
Kimmy Ferry of KEYS Service Corps AmeriCorps
-
Aiden Neary of Automotive Career Development Center (ACDC)
Moderator: Lindsey Disler of the United Steelworkers Union
Watch to learn about opportunities and careers in workforce development in Southwest Pennsylvania.
April 2021 Spotlight
Sustainable Construction





Wednesday, April 28th, 2021
Featured speakers:
-
Zosia Brown of Nexxi
-
Craig Rippole of Trinity Development
-
Jeff Murray of Cannon Design
-
Monika Serrano of Turner Construction
-
Andrew Ellsworth of Doors Unhinged
-
Nick Rubenstein of Evolve EA
Moderator: Leslie Montgomery of Green Building Alliance
Watch to learn about opportunities and careers in sustainable construction in Southwest Pennsylvania.
March 2021 Spotlight
Regenerative Agriculture





Wednesday, March 24th, 2021
Featured speakers:
-
Darlene Livingston of Pennsylvania Farmlink
-
Laura Codori of Worm Return
-
Dan Little of InvolveMINT
-
Brac Webb of Fifth Season
Moderator: Sara Nicholas of Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture (PASA)
Watch as we take a deeper look at the regenerative agriculture initiatives and opportunities happening in Southwest Pennsylvania
February 2021 Spotlight
Renewable Energy





Wednesday, February 24th, 2021
Featured speakers:
-
Ron Gdovic of Windstax Energy
-
Mel Koleber of Rye Development
-
Greg Winks of Solbridge Energy Advisors
Moderator: Gina Johnson of Sustainable Pittsburgh
Watch as we take a deeper look at the renewable energy initiatives and opportunities happening in Southwest Pennsylvania
January 2021 Spotlight
Sustainable Transportation





Wednesday, January 27th, 2021
Featured speakers:
-
Joshua Malloy of Pittsburghers for Public Transit
-
Justine Russo of PITT OHIO
-
Grant Ervin of the City of Pittsburgh
-
Josh Banyas of the Port Authority of Allegheny County
-
Sarah Olexsak of Duquesne Light Co